Providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS--The
parents of a 5-year-old girl who has Asperger syndrome are claiming that a
special education teacher at her school illegally restrained their daughter
last year.

Barry Grushkin and June Loeffler accuse the teacher at Mary Lyon School
of placing Anaya Grushkin in a "basket hold" by holding her wrists from behind
her, crossing her arms, then pushing down on her.

Mr. Grushkin said he would not have believed it if he had not seen the
teacher do it in front of him last spring.

Officials with the Boston Public Schools have refused to talk about the
specifics in the case, except to deny that the restraint could even have taken
place.

The Massachusetts Department of Education prohibits the use of restraint
to control behavior. Restraints are permitted only when a student presents a
serious threat to himself or herself or others, and when less intrusive
measures have not worked.

"Restraint doesn't do anything but stop an immediate situation," Mary
Cerreto, associate professor of family medicine and director of the Center on
Self-Determination and Health at Boston University Medical Center, told the
Allston-Brighton TAB. "It does not teach the child what it is that she should
do correctly. It does not prevent future occurrences of the behavior."

"Restraint, even when applied by trained professionals, can be lethal,"
Cerreto added.

In fact, several children have died in recent years from certain
physical restraints.

Boston Public School spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo said that restraints
are used, not as a punishment, but as an intervention to ensure the safety of
children.

Anaya Grushkin's parents decided earlier this month to home-school her.
They also said they are looking at their legal options.

"Boston, as a school system, fights parents tooth-and-nail on special
education issues," said Mr. Grushkin. "They don't do anything until a lawyer
steps in."

"We are all perplexed as to why this school and, perhaps, now many other
schools in [the Boston Public Schools] are doing this."

The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center,the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.